MTFCA Forum

I'm looking for tires and right now Coker only has their Radial tire with Bias Ply look in stock.

https://www.cokertire.com/tires/styles/ ... 50r21.html

Are these ok to use? Has anyone had some experience with them?

I've seen all the info about where they all come from (Vietnam) so I know ted life is questionable with all of them.

I plan on trying the other vendors but wanted to see if anyone has tried the Radials.

Robert,

They ride nice but have a bit more sideways give than a normal tire. I like the black wall Firestones as they have super handle characteristics.

Hank

Perhaps radials drive well on model T or model A, but having put radials on a 1937 Packard (albeit with "Safety-flex IFS) I'd be a bit leery. Radials drove very badly on the Packard which handled and rode very well on bias-ply tires. Testimonials anyone ?

I mounted radials with special tubes for radial tires to my '39 Caddie and it transformed to car to make it much more drivable. Steering, traction & braking were all a lot better. This car will go very fast, it just cruises easily at 70 mph so the improvement is wonderful. The Caddie is no Model T, I'm not sure how it would improve a Ford's baby.

Paul

It has been my experience as one who did front end alignment for forty five years, including the era when radials took over from bias tires, that it takes a good bit more caster in the front end to make radials handle right on a car designed for bias tires. Unfortunately, model T’s have limited caster adjustment.

Thye used to say that radials rode a little harsher. They do have less rolling resistance and with less tread squirm, they handle better and last longer than comparable bias tires. The lower rolling resistance may be why they require more caster. I assume the antique size radials for a T or A Ford are of belted construction. If they are not, much of the above may not apply. I suspect that the complaints of a harsher ride on older cars may have been related to stiff belts and the lack of soft supsension bushings on many older cars. At one time, Pontiac offered a performance oriented package with "Radial Tuned Suspension". This may have consisted of more compliant bushings at selected points and added caster angle. The purported better tracking of the radial tires might have offset the negative effects of softer suspension bushings.

I bought a set of the new tubed Whitewall radials for my 1930 Model A and they made the car drive a lot more like a modern car...as in safer and better handling. I did notice that I have to keep them at 35 psi or they will feel kind of squishy even at 32 psi. The tires I have all say MADE IN USA on them. Make sure you get tubes that are made for radial tires.

Thanks everyone for the input. I know when I put Radials on my 67 Charger it rode a lot better. The way inventory is going I may have limited choices.

I have a set of the radials on my 1927 Tudor they handle very good.One thing I have noticed the circumference is 4 inches more than the Lucas that I had on which affects the hill climbing.

That's just over 31" tall, if my math is anywhere close.

Coker shows their radial to be 31.7" overall diameter.